Photoelectric tube



Nov. 16, 1948. M. oRLovE PHo'roELEczTlaIc: TUBE Filed May 2, 1945 duced which influences the path and therefore the density of a heavy krypton gas.

The anode, -generally designated 28 is in the form of a strip :of wire which is anchored in stem I2 and extends longitudinally from said stem and axially of the envelope 8 to a point near the lightpervious end I3 of the envelope, and its inner end is electrically connected to prong I8 for connection to the positive side of the electric circuit. 'I'he anode is preferably formed of approximately 50% iron, 11% aluminum, 14% nickel, and 24% cobalt.

The anode is connected .to the positive side oi the electric circuit. A strip of wire of the same compositions as the anode and, for example, 1sth inch thickness, highly and permanently magnetized, is welded as at 26 tothe anode 2li and extends laterally therefrom and thence upwardly between the cathode and the wall of the envelope 8, so as to form with the anode, a horse-shoe magnet. The wire of the `anode becomes magnetized from the strip 25. This magnetic structure constitutes va combined anode and magnet which carries a positive electro-static rcharge and boosts the agitation, collision and ionization of the inert gas in the envelope to produce the release of additional secondary electr-ons from the inert gas, and attracts some of the electrons moving closely to the anode and bends others out of their straight paths. and molecules releases additional electrons from the gas and increases the eciency of 'the tube. This anode and lmagnet structure, being of horseshoe form, can be disposed entirely within the envelope for direct inuence upon the atoms and molecules. The wire of the anode in the cathode isof small cross-sectional area and extends coaxially of the tubular cathode where the least shadows will be produced. The wire of the anode may also be extended laterally as at 20' .to reduce L Ithe magnetic gap between the ends of the anode wire and strip 25.

A light reflector 28 of disk form is provided at the opening in the inner or constricted end of the conoidal cathode and may be supported by a wire 30 anchored in stern I2 for independently reflecting light from the inner end of thecathode back into it. This rellector 28 may also be supported or connected to either the cathode or the anode. If the reflector is connected to the cathode, its reflecting face will be provided with the same coating as the inner periphery vof the cathode.v

If the reflector is supported on the anode or independently, no coating is necessary. The reflector is preferably formed of polished nickle or silver-plated copper and has a convex face, and has a flat rim which projects outwardly of the adjacent end of the tubularcathode so it may relect some of the light to the outer periphery of the cathode.

In operation, light enters the photo-electric tube through the light-pervious convex outer end I3 of the envelope 8. The anode 20 and cathode 22 are electrically connected to the prongs I 'I and I8 which are connected respectively to negative and positive sides of an electric circuit. The energizing light .entering the envelope 8 will close This ionization of the agitated gas atoms the circuit between the anode 20 and the cathode 22, The incoming light causes the photosensitive material on the inner periphery of the cathode to release the electrons which carry a charge of negative current to close the circuit. The electrons released by the material on the conoidal periphery of the cathode will be refracted angularly from said periphery. Some of the electrons will strike 4 the anode. Others which by-pass the anode will be impacted to the opposite side of the inner periphery of the cathode and will collide with and ionize the gas and cause additional release of electrons from the gas, as well as from the cathode wall upon which it impinges. Some of the electrons will be impacted back and forth or in a zigzag path across the space in the cathode. The anode carrying the positive-electro-static charge, as well as the magnetic force, will disrupt the electrons from the cathode and render them more susceptible to rebound from the photo-sensitive material and accelerate the drawing of electrons to the anode. The electrons which pass close to ,4 the anode will be more readily captured while the oating electrons will be deected out of a straight path. This will increase the electrons released and increase the eiciency of the photocell. The ions are positively charged and act in reverse as the electrons but help to stabilize the workability owing to the magnet. The reflector 28 at the inner end of the cathode 22 also reflects electrons and light back into the conoidal cathode.

The conoidal cathode is preferably seamless, may be of the maximum length, according to space available in envelopes of different sizes, and its conoidal form provides maximum area for the photo-sensitive surface, and causes the electrons to be rellected back and forth in the cathode, as well as the entered light.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, the anode comprises a pair of substantially parallel strips 3l of nickle wire cross-connected at their inner ends .by a strip 32 of Alnico wire which has been highly and permanently magnetized up to the saturation point. Strip 32 is connected to the conductor which leads to the positive side of the electric circuit. In this construction, the cross-strip 32 magnetizes the anode members 3| to render the anode magnetic.

In the modied form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the anode is formed of a strip of Alnico wire magnetized to the point of saturation, so that it will function as a combined anode and bar magnet within and extending longitudinally of the cathode. In this construction, the atoms become ionized owing to the loss of an electron and the positive ions will be either drawn or repelled from the magnet owing to its opposite polarity.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed glass envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode provided on one of its faces with a photo-electric sensitive material containing virginium; and an anode of wire within the envelope and extending longitudinally of the cathode.

2. A pho-to-electric tube comprising: a sealed glass envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode extending longitudinally of the envelope and provided on one of its faces with a lphoto-electric sensitive material containing virginium and one or more of the `group including cesium and rubidiurn and an anode of wire within the envelope and extending longitudinally of the cathode.

3. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode extending longitudinally in the envelope and provided with a photo-electric light-sensitive material on its inner periphery for receiving light from said light-pervious portion; and a combined anode and magnet in the envelope.

4. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode of tubular form extending longitudinally in the envelope and provided with a light-sensitive material on its inner periphery for receiving light from said light-pervious portion; and a combined anode and horse-shoe magnet in the envelope.

5. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed glass envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode of tubular form extending longitudinally in the envelope and provided With a light-sensitive material on its inner periphery for receiving light from said light-pervious portion; and a combined anode and bar-magnet extending longitudinally of and Within the cathode.

6. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed glass envelope provided with an end portion pervious to light; a cathode of tubular form extending longitudinally of the envelope and provided with a photo-electric sensitive material on its inner periphery for receiving light from said lightpervious portion; and an anode including a permanently magnetized wire within the cathode.

7. A photo-electric tube comprising: a sealed glass envelope provided with a portion pervious to light; a cathode extending longitudinally of the envelope and for receiving light from said light-pervious portion and provided with a photoelectric sensitive material; and an anode including a Wire and a permanently magnetized member forming a horse-shoe magnet extending longitudinally of the cathode.

10 MAX ORLOVE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,054,884 Schlesinger Sept. 22, 1936 2,077,633 McMaster et al. Apr. 20, 1937 go 2,123,024 Piore et a1. July 5, 1938 2,187,005 Miller Nov. 15, 1938 2,218,340 Maurer Oct. 15, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 619,863 France Jan. 6, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES 

